By Sean Delaney
Toronto council has given city staff the go-ahead to negotiate the acquisition of an Emery Village house that is home to a 350 year-old oak tree.
Last week, council approved the plan to start negotiations with the owner of 76 Coral Gable Dr. – home to perhaps Toronto’s oldest surviving tree.
Council approved the plan to enter into negotiations to buy the house from the owner of the property. There was no debate July 25 when Toronto council voted to go along with recommendations from the city’s government management committee.
Ward 7 councillor Giorgio Mammoliti who started the campaign to save the tree a few years back and has been driving the initiative, was ecstatic.
“History is not just about people who have lived in the past or events that have occurred in the past. It is also about things that are living today and have been around for a very long time. This tree is over 300 years old and it needs to be respected by all,” said Mammoliti.
The tree is not out of the woods yet (no pun intended). There is an expectation by the city that half of the money should be raised by the community.
It’s possible the tree could live another 150 years or more.
